Enjoy Hakodate’s Stunning Views and History! Goryokaku Tower Travel Guide

Goryokaku’s history begins with its construction in 1864 during the final years of the Edo period.
Built as the outer moat of the Hakodate Magistrate’s Office (a government office of the Tokugawa shogunate), Goryokaku served as a Tokugawa shogunate fortress and was also a stage of the Boshin War.
The Boshin War was a conflict between the former shogunate forces that supported the Tokugawa shogunate, which had held power during the Edo period, and the new government forces that had newly taken control.
Goryokaku was the former shogunate forces’ last stronghold, but after their defeat, most of its buildings were dismantled and the site became a drill ground.
Later, in response to requests from local residents, Goryokaku was developed and opened to the public as “Goryokaku Park.”
“Goryokaku Park” was revived as a tourist spot of historical value and is also designated as a National Historic Site.

From the highest level, the 2nd floor of the observation deck at “Goryokaku Tower,” you can take in a full view of “Goryokaku Park,” where around 1,500 Somei Yoshino cherry trees bloom, from 90 meters above ground.
The sight of the park filled with cherry blossoms in full bloom is truly spectacular.
You can see beautiful cherry blossoms while strolling through “Goryokaku Park,” but it can’t compete with the breathtaking view from “Goryokaku Tower.”
Cherry blossom season is typically from mid-April to early May.
If you’re visiting Hokkaido or Hakodate to see cherry blossoms, this is a must-see spot.

In winter, “Goryokaku Park” hosts the “Goryokaku Hoshi no Yume Illumination.”
Approx. 2,000 lights are scattered around the park’s moat, transforming the grounds into a magical space.
From the “Goryokaku Tower” observation deck, you can enjoy “Goryokaku Park” as its star shape appears in the dark night.
The snow-covered park lit up by illuminations is truly beautiful.

The exhibition space “Goryokaku History Corridor,” located on the 2nd floor of the observation deck at “Goryokaku Tower,” is a spot where you can learn about Goryokaku’s history.
It features scale models recreating Goryokaku as it was when completed, bronze statues of people closely connected to Goryokaku, dioramas, and more.
Don’t miss the graphic exhibition “Goryokaku Story,” which clearly explains Goryokaku’s history from the late Edo period onward.
Since you can learn through visuals as well as text, you should be able to enjoy it even if you don’t understand Japanese.

“Goryokaku Tower” also has restaurants and cafes on each floor, so you can stop for lunch or a break throughout the building.
On the 1st floor of the observation deck is “Hakodate Bugyo Observation Cafe,” where you can enjoy soft-serve ice cream with a 360-degree panorama.
On the 2nd floor, there’s a restaurant serving seafood dishes made with Hokkaido ingredients, gelato, and the local specialty Hakodate curry.
In the “Atrium,” located on the level below the 1st floor, you can enjoy grilled seafood and local sake.
If you get hungry after walking around “Goryokaku Park,” we also recommend enjoying a meal at “Goryokaku Tower.”

The “Atrium” is a glass-enclosed plaza with plants, an oasis-like space where you can relax in a greenery-filled setting while soaking up sunlight.
It also features a bronze statue of Hijikata Toshizo, who is closely associated with Hakodate, and “yadake” bamboo that Hijikata Toshizo planted, so you can feel Hakodate’s history here too.
After strolling through “Goryokaku Park” and enjoying the views from “Goryokaku Tower,” we recommend taking a break in the “Atrium.”

A Japanese restaurant on the 2nd floor of Goryokaku Tower, one of Hakodate’s landmarks.
A popular spot loved by locals, where you can enjoy seafood landed at Hakodate Port, known as an excellent fishing harbor.
Every morning, the owner personally selects seafood at the Hakodate Wholesale Market, purchases only what’s needed for the day, and prepares it in-house right away.
One of the fun parts is that the day’s “recommended menu” changes depending on what’s available.

“Hakodate Menchubo Ajisai,” a famous shio (salt) ramen shop that represents Hakodate.
Founded in 1930, it’s still loved by many people today, more than 90 years after it first opened.
Located near Goryokaku Park, it’s a popular spot visited daily by both tourists and locals.
In Hokkaido, popular ramen styles differ by area, and Hakodate is known for shio ramen.
Ajisai’s signature dish is, of course, shio ramen.

Hakodate is known as a famous squid-producing area, and the sourcing hub, Irifune Fishing Port, even has a squid-only auction market.
In Hakodate, “Ikatsukuri Ikasei (Daimon Branch)” is known for serving fresh squid sashimi as its specialty.
At the Daimon branch, they serve live spear squid from winter to spring, and live Japanese flying squid from summer through the end of the year, as squid sashimi.
Each has different characteristics, but Japanese flying squid is especially popular because you can even eat the liver.

“Mount Hakodate Observatory” is located at the final stop of the Mount Hakodate Ropeway.
On the 1st floor, you’ll find an indoor lounge and Isaribi Park, a hidden night-view spot that’s also popular with locals; on the 2nd floor are the summit shop selling Mount Hakodate original goods and a restaurant; the 3rd floor is a tea lounge; and the 4th floor opens into the observation lounge.

Since the port opened in 1859, “Hakodate Port” has been at the center of Hakodate’s development.
It was one of the first ports in Japan to open, and it has also contributed greatly to Hakodate’s growth as a tourist city.
With its deep inlet and dramatic views of Mount Hakodate, plus a 19th-century modern vibe and an exotic streetscape, it’s photogenic in every direction.

Standing out beautifully in a residential neighborhood, “Hakodate Orthodox Church” is a church of the Japanese Orthodox Church, rooted in the Russian Orthodox tradition.
The crosses lined along the roof and upper parts of the building are Russian crosses, featuring two horizontal bars and one diagonal bar (three bars total), rather than a standard cross.
Beneath them are cupolas (domes), distinctive decorations often seen in Orthodox church buildings.
From arched windows to hemispherical roofs, it’s filled with the charm of Eastern Orthodox architecture.